J ruea wedcty 8ub&crlptlon price. sz.w per year. .liJnUred a.o econd cla, m AIITiftJ!r Or ''IYICK CHICK, DISGUISED AS A NEWSBOY, ENTERED THE CAFE ROYAL AND SUCCEEDED IN SELLING A PAPER l'O THE Y-ERY HAN BE WAS TRACKING, NICK CARTER SAT NEAR BY WATCHING THEil.

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NI eK e ARTBR .WBBKLY. Ent e r e d to Act of OongreHs in the yea 1R97 bt Sleet & Smith, in the Offl.ce of 'the Libmian of Congtess, Wash:i11gtrm, D. 0. f Elitet 'e!l (IS secontl class Jlalle>' nt lh e New rmlc. N r., Post Office. Issued weelrly Snbsc1iplion p1ice, $2 .50 pe. year. I Novembe1 6, 1897. No 45 STREKT & :SuTn, Puulishl'l's. NEW YORK. 29 Rose St., N. Y. 5 Cents OR, M111io11s at: By the Author of "NICK CARTER." CHAPTER I. A VICTIM OF A STRANGE PERSECUTION. Marcus Astorel, millionaire, middle aged, corpulent, ruddy-faced, and anx ious-eyed, sat one forenoon in the tion-room of his suite in the Palace Ho tel, San Francisco, impatiently drum ming his fingers on the little table in front of him. He was expecting a visitor. The time was the latter part of March. Ten o'clock arrived, and the visitor presented himself. It was Nick Carter. He hac1 arrived that morning from a small town in the interior, where he had succeecled, with Chick's assistance, in un masking a fiend in human shape. The mi11iolnire shook hands heartily_ with the great detective. "I can't tell you how glad I am to see you, Mr. Carter." "You have urgent need of my services, then?" "Yes. Before my arrival in California two days ago, I thought the case a most pressing one. Today it has become a matt er of life and death with me." Mr. Astorel's lips twitched in nervous fear, and he glanced uneasily at the door opening itHo the corridor. Nick followed his eye, and interpreting the glance, weut to the door, opened it and. peered out. "There is no one there," he said. "Now, then, to business. "Two months ago, "began the million aire, "my wife was abducted. "The abductor demanded ten thousand dollars for her safe return to San Fran cisco. "I paid the money in the manner.stip ulated, and my wife arrived at our home on Van Ness avenue, safe and sound. "Two weeks later my only daughter Hester was. abductecl from Mills Semi nary in Alameda Count1 1 ; where she was receiving the finishing touches to her ed ucation.

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4 NICK CARTER WEF.KLY. "And to-night you must turn up fifty Tall,. dark-featured, with thousand dollars more, or turn up your polished manners and a pleasan t sm ile, toes.'' Nick spoke half jestingly, but Astorel shivered at the words. "Yes," he said, "I must be prepared for the loss of more money or the loss of my life, unless you are able to extricate me from the terrible dilemma." ''I will do my best, and 1 have the faith to believe that Mr. DeJlman will not succeed in his purpose.'' "You will have a man with the cunning of old Satan to con tend with." "The odds then wi11 be. in my favor, for Satan would never be in sheo;l but for a little mistake he once madE'." Nick's air of confidence inspired Astorel to remark, quietly: "I believe you will succeed in spite of the evil ability of Dellman." "I admit his ability. He must be able, indeed, to have covered up his tracks so well; to have so arranged his evil programme, that although you know him to be the man who has rohbed you, yet you have no evidence to produce that would warrant his arrest." ''I never saw cunning and audacity so queerly combined as they are in this man," said the b roker. ''He will show his audacity once too often, Mr. Astorel," Nick went on.
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NICK CARTER WEEKLY 5 D ellman was on his way to a seat, when s t ruck by a s udden recollection he paused, pnt his h and to his brow, then wheeled quickl y and started for the door. But before he reached it a young man-a news peddl er-entered with a bundle of papers unde r his arm. "Here's yer Bulletin, Post 'n Report," he cried out. 'La t es t news from Chili. Big jump in Associ a t e d Virginia--" "Here, boy, g i ve me a Bulletin," int errupted Dellman. After procurin g a copy he made his way to the open air A big jump in As s ociated Virginia meant that he had missed the chance of his life. The other day w h e n the stock went down be had sold out at a great loss, fearing that the bottom of the concern would fall out eutirely if b e h eld on. He glanced a t the list of the lucky ones in this new mining deal, and sighed. From the mining news he turned l1is eye to the person a ls, as was his daily habit. He started, turne d pale, and then let fall a string of oaths when he read these lines: "Among the passengers by the Sum mer Queen, this a f t e rnoon for Honolulu, was Marcns Ast o rel, Esq., the well known broker, goes to the islands for his heal t h." CHAPTER II. PREPARING FOR THE CAMPAIGN. The news pedcller was Chick. As Alber t D ellman, with the paper in hand, d isapp eare d through the door, Chick l oo k e d at his snpenor, and grinned knowingly. N i c k approached and bought a paper. got off, did he?" be asked, in a l o w voice. "Yes." "Follow Dellman, find out where he goes and what he does between now and four o'clock, then report to me." "Whe re shall I find you?" "At a sailors' boarding-house 9n Clay street near the water front. You'll know the place by the big wooden eagle over the entrance.'' -" "Ve ry well.'' Chick was off without another word. The great detectiye went to the door and watched the shadowed and the shadower until they were out of sight. Then he hastened to the Palace Hotel, where he remained an hour. At four o ".:::lock he was at the sailors' lodging-house on Clay street awaiting the appearance of his brave and keenwitt ed assistant. Chick was on time, his honest features aglow with excitement. "Well?" said his chief. "Followed Mister Man to a French res taurant on Dupoqt street. He went into a private stall, I went into the one adjoining. The partitions are low, and 1 manag ed to look down on him without his becoming aware of the "What did you see?" "I saw him open the paper he bought of me and read the mining and personal columns several times over." "What was bis manner?'' "He was pale and nervous at first, but when at last he put away the paper, bis face had regained its ordinary color and expression, and he fell to on the raw oysters he had ordered as cool as a cucumber." "What do yon infer?" "That he has either "dropped to our game, or has discovered a new wl:ly to corral the fifty thousand he was counting on for this evening." "I don't think be suspects trickery," observed Nick, after a pause. "Come to think of it, I don't, either." "Then he has concocted some new scheme."

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6 NICK CARTER WEEKLY. ''Against whom?'' "Mrs. Astorel and her daughter." ''That ought to suit our arrangement." "It does, for it is in the commisfion of some uew act of villainy that we must hope to trap and render him in future powerless to work illjury against any Olle but himself. What did he do after finishing his oysters?'' "Paid for them and walked out of the restaurant." "Where did he go?" "To a saloon on Dupont street, fre quented by the sporting fraternity, 'pugs,' and their satellites princip:::1lly. I fol lowed him, and saw him enter into earn est conversation with a '"l'ar Flat bruiser, a fellow who has done time in San Quen for robbery ''Do I know him?'' ''I should think you did. It's FlatNosed Batson, wlw was run out of Chi cago by tbe police at the time of the an archist excitement." ''Yes, I do know him, and I owe him one for a headache he gave me once when I was working up a case for Chief Mc Ca nghrey on the Lake shore. Did you their conversation?'' "Part of it. They spoke in whispers, but I have an acute ear, and besides they were not farfrom the lunch counter which was my coign of vantage at the time." "Repeat what you heard." 'Batson,' said Dellman, 'I want to play a joke on a certain individual in this city. This is no place to talk the matter over, so meet me at seven o1clock at my office, at the Merchants' Exchange." ''Batson promised to be there, and they separated." "But you did not I use sight of Deliman?" "Oh, no. From the saloon he went to the Russ House, and in the reading-room sat down at a desk, and wrote a letter ./ sealed, stamped it and pnt it in the letter box at the corner." "It's a pity you could not have rea d the address." "I did read it." "Chick, you're comin on." ''Thank you. The address was 'Miss Hester Astorel, No. Broadway, Oak land.' '' ''Good. We'll know what it contains before many hours." '' the letter-box Dell man went to his room in a Bush street lodging-house, and is there yet for aught I know to the c
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7 NICK CARTER WEEKLY. "That will catch him, I think," he said to himself. 'I see yonr game, sir, bnt--" "You are afraid De11man may detect the forgery, eh 7'' "Yes." "No danger on that score, my good fel-At seven o'clock, the detective, dis-guised as Nevada Saul, received a visitor at the little room in the sailors' low, for I happen to know just what kind of a fist our man 1 of tl1e writes. It is in back-hand style, and is easily im-boarding-house. The visitor was Albert Dellman. itated." "I might have known that you would not make a miscue." CHAPTER Ill. A MURDEROUS SCHEME. "The letter states that the writer bas been arrested, that there is no hope of esc aping conviction, and recommends that tl1e business of playiug a joke on somebody, which Dellman desires transacted Dellman bestowed a searching look on the disguised detective as he entered the room. "He's thought Nick, as the be intrusted to the writer's pal, Nevada Saul." villian shifted his gaze to the side window, which overlooked a small, dirty "Precisely, and Nevada Saul will be alley. Placing a chair close to this window, Nick Carter. "Of course. And Batson, per Carter, further conveys the information that Saul may be found at this place at seven o'clock this evening. Now hnrry off, Chick, and get that newspaper copy :fixed by the chief, for I want it to appear in the last edition of the Bulletin this afternoon. You'll l1ave time, I think." Chick was off like a shot. An hour later Flat-Nosed Batson occu-pied a cell in the city prison. The captain in charge received orders to permit no visitors to see or talk with th e prisoner unless by order of Nick or one of the superior judges. The six o'clock edition of the Bulletin contained an additional number of perso-nal items. One read as follows: "Col. .Bently Henderson, of Missouri, one of the railroad builders of that State, arrived in town this afternoon. He is the uncle of Mrs. whose husband is now on the ocean, bound for Honolulu. He will remain in the State for several weeks.'' Nick Carter read the item and smiled in satisfaction. Dellman sat down, and opened the con-versation. "Were you expecting me?" he asked, carelessly. "Yes, Flat-Nosed Batson said you'd probably whirl in and gimme a job ef I waited here for yer this evenin'." "H'm! what do you know of Batson 7" "1 know be:s a thurrerbred, an' that he's in a hole." "Were yon ever a partner of his?" "Was I a pardner 7 I shonld ree-mark. Some o' ther neatest jobs on the coast war did over thar in Nevady when ,..,, e worked together." "Batson probably told you tbat I wanted his assistance in playing a joke on a friend of mine, didn't he?" "Yes." "DJC1 he say anything more?" "Not a word. P'raps he might ha' unloaded his mind, if he'd knowed anything more 'bout ther bus1ness." De.llman took out his cigar case, selected two cigars, and offered one to Nick. Soon the two men were puffing con-tentedly away. "The joke, if played at all must be

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8 NICK C ARTER WEEKLY. played to-nig ht," sa id Dell man, afte r a pa use. "I' ll d o w hatever Flat-Nosed Batson wou l d ha' done, s' long's there's boodl e i n prospect. '' "You shall be well for you r ser v ices. You can spar, l suppose?" "Spar! Now yon shout. I kin spar for anything, from a drink to a square m eal.'' ''You misunders t and me, perhaps," re turned Dellman, quietly, with his cold gray eyes _int ent l y fixed upon the false Saul's face, "for I spoke in a fistic sense. For example," and the speaker don bled up his fists, assumed a pugilistic attitude, and made several passes at an imaginary opponent. Nick broke into a loud guffaw at this exhibition. "Spar! That's too fancy a word for me, old hoss "Slugs' ther caper, see?" and on the instant Nick executed anum b e r of movem e nts with such swiftness and dexterity a s to cause Dellman to nod his h eacl in delighted approval. "You'll do, I fanc y," he remarked, "and now for action. First, I will show you the man on whom the joke is to be played.'' D ellman arose and opened the door, and Nick pass e d out in a very curious frame of mind. The villain had fallen into the trap too readily. Bnt the adventure had commenced and the conrageous d e tective was det ermined to see it to the end. Up Clay street they went, past San some, and into Leidesdorff. The latter is a short, dark; narrow little street, but little used at night by repu table peopl e on account o f the exception a l facilities it offers for the commission o f robbery. Into Leidesdorff street Dellman turned Nick close] y following. Under a lamppost at the corner of Sacramento street, t h e guide stopped and looked at his watc h "Five minutes to eight," he said "He'll be here in five minutes." The disguised detect ive waited in some impatience for the man t o appear, in or der that the next move in the peculi a r game that was being played might b e mao e. At eight o'clock a policeman slo w ly sauntered up -to the corner where the two men were standing He looked sh arply into their faces an.d then pas sed on. A thrill passed through Nick's frame as he met the searching gaze of t h e guardian of the peace. "That's the man," said Dell man i n a whisper. "What!" Nick whispered back. "Is their joke to be played on a cop per?" "Yes." "What is ther style o' the joke?" "This. You must follow him to Cali-fornia street, and when you see him go down stairs into a basement, you mnst b e close on his he e ls, so that when he turns you can play the joke." "Suppose he doe s not turn round, but waltz e s into ther basement.'' "All the better, for it is not tenanted, is in fact a large empt y store-room, where the tramps occasionally h a n g o nt." "All right. Now abont ther joke." "It is to be played w ith t h i s joker." Dellman drew a s a n d -club from his breast and handed it to t h e false Nevada Saul. "Strike back of th e ear and strike hard. Here's five hnnd re o dollars in ad vance. Five hundr e d mor e goes into your hand when you've laid him out." Nick shoved the note s which Dellma n held out into his pocket a n d then asked : "'iVhere'Jl I run across you to corra l the other five hundred?" "At the basement d oor. I 11 be on the

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NICK CARTER WEEKLY. 9 spot so soon as you h ave completed the bad for one eli p over the head with a job. "Nuff sed, and now to business, for the copper is half way to California street now. Su saying Nick h urried away and he chuc kled softl y to himself as his feet li ghtly brushed the c obblestoues of the roadway. The policeman was in the act of descend ing the stairs to the unlighted basement, in a silent and unlighted part of the street, when Nick prepared to pounce upon him. But the night guardian turned before the sand-club could be raised, and with a few quickly spoken words, allowed his own club to come into play with the effect of stretching the great detective at full length at the foot o f the He lay like a log, w ithout motion. The policeman was bending over him when an eager voi ce, the voice of Albert Dellman, caused him to look up with a start. '' "Have you fixed him?" "I reckon I have, captain. "Anyway, he declines to you may observe." breathe, as The villain rubbed his hands gleefully. "How well I played my little game," -he chuck led. n Hoodwinked and laid out the greatest detective in the United S tates. Ha, ha! Sam, but ti1is night has been a good one for both of us, indeed. "How about the blunt?" queried the policeman, coldly. "Yes, yes, you shall be paid. First I'll g o through Mr. Nick Carter's clothes and hand yon the five l1t1ndred dollars he thought he had picked up in the softest snap he had ever struck, and then I'll add to it five hundred outofmyown pocket." Nick bad placed the notes in his vestpocket, so the arch-villain had no_ diffi culty in finding them. "A thousand dollars, Boston Sam, isn't club, 'eh ?" "No., 1You've probably robbed drunks and blackmailed Chinamen at much less profit per night." "What I've done is none of your b _usi ness," Boston Sam sur lily retprned. "No, I suppose not. I was only joking, you know. Thi<> is my joking night. I wanted to play a joke on Nick Carter, and I've done it. But the joke is not entirely played yet. We must get tnis body into the basement and examine it for signs of life.'' The door was unlocked, and the body was carried in. In the middle of the room was a pile of empty dry-goods boxes. Behind these the body was deposited. Dellman then returned to the door, and locked it with a key taken from his pocket. Boston Sam produced his bull 's-eye lantern and flashed the rays upon the detective's face. Nick's eyes were closed, his cheeks were pale as death. Dellman knelt down and placed his ear over the detective's heart. "It beats faintly," he said. "He's just alive and that's all." "Do you want him dead?" asked the murderous policeman. "Dead as a herring. Did you not understand me when I made the bargain with you? Didn't I tell yon I wanted you to knock him out for good and all?" replied Dellman, angrily. "Oh, very well," was the careless response. "I'd as soon give him a second crack as not. Want to see it don
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10 NICK CARTER WEEKLY. of his cold-blooded tool, and the detective victim. A number of heavy blows, each followed by a sickening thud, satisfied the listener that the murderous work was be ino done by an expert at the business. 0 "Now what do you thmk ?" Boston Sam hoarsely cried out. Dellman stepped from behind the boxes, and by the lantern's light beheld a spectacle that made him shudder, casehardened though he was. The detective's face was covered with blooc1, blood streamed from his ears and nostrils, while his hair was matted with gore. There was every indication that his skull had been broken, and that his career had been abruptly cut short. "What shall we do with it?" asked the murderer, pointing to the gl1astly sight. "Feed it to the rats. There's a tra pdoor opening into a still lower-room, a former receptacle for smuggled goods. There's nothing there now but rats, bun dreds of them, and all hungry anci vicious. They won't leave a scrap of fles h on his bones. What do you think of the scheme?" ''It couldn't be improved upon, but--" "But what?P "I'llneed a drink before I go any fur tlJer. "I'm as weak as a cat now. The air down here is not suited to my constitution." "I'll go out and get you a drink." Dellman hurried away to return in five minutes with a bottle of whisky. "There," he said, "drink that, and then rush the business through. I want to getaway from here, for I've other business to attend to that can't be postponed.'' Boston Sam took the bottle, sat down on a box, and took his time in putting down the "bracer." When he returned the bottle to Dell man over half the contents had b een poured out. The lantern meanwhile had been r esting on the floor with the light turned from the spot where the detective's b ody had lain. "Well, let's be going," remarked the policeman, as he smacked his lips, "for the job's done., "What!" Dellman snatched up the and brought the light to bear on the plac e of murder. Nick Carter's body was no longer there. Before the villain could open his m o u th to express his astonishment his murd er ous tool coolly remarked: "He's gone to the rats." Dellman rnshed to the trap-door, lantern in hand, -opened it, and l ooked dovvn. He saw a legion of ravenous rats squ ealing and fighting over some tempting Jnor sel that had but recently fallen into their den .' And from the hole there arose the sickening smell of raw, warm flesh. The villain closed the trap, and rose to his feet as pale as death. "How came you to do this?" h e asked, gaspingly. "I heard footsteps outside, and fearing tnat some fool might stagger in and ob lige me to commit another murder, I rushed the stiff into the hole a s quick as you please. '' "All right, all right. Now fo r to-mor row's business. You are to go t o Oaklan d in the morning. See the chief, and get a lay off for a couple of days. If he kicks any, resign from the force, for there's money enough in the work o n hand to keep you iu idleness for the rest of your life.'' "I'm your tamate, captain."

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6 N IC K CARTER WEEKLY. 11 "You will find me at the Ga l en do Hotel a t nin e o'clock.'' "I'll be there on time." When I meet you there I w ill t e ll you w h a t I want donf'. '' "Very well." T he two men parted at the Crtlifornia street corner. Dellm an took his way l10mewa r d in a s a t isfied frame of mind. When }Je had passed from sight, Bost on Sam walked slowly bac k t o the b asem eut. He reached 1t just as a ma n wa s comiu g out of the door. The man was Nick' Carter. "All serene, Chick?" "Yt:s," saicl Chick, alias Bos ton Sam, we'v e fooled him beautifully. "You've fooled him, you m ean, for this night's work goes to your credit, Chick, not mine." CHAPTER IV. PREPARING THE TRAP. H alf an hour after t h e L eidesdorff street adventure, the t wo detec6ves occu pit:d a private stall in a Market street r estaur a nt. While they refresh e d themsel ve s Chick told his story. "Af ter I left you i n the afternoon," h e began, I went a s direc t e d t o the h a ll and was fortunate e nouoh to find C hief Crowley in his office "'I am al w ays happy to oblige my frien d Carter,' sai d he, wh er. h e had read t he n ote and wit hin t e n m inutes therea fter two commi ssions h a d b e e n executed -an office r had been d is p atchtd to arrest Flat-Nosed Batson fortlnvith, and a mes senger had been s ent to the Bulletin office with the personal which the chief had in dorsed C ol. Cro w l e y wanted me to dine with him, bnt I1 had to d ecline on acconnt of the. i mpo rt ant nature of the bu s iness that engrossed my attention. ctt Afte r Batson had been brought in, I hurried to D ell man's lodgings, and here again luck f avored me. He W3S in, aud I gave the note into his hands, but was off b efore he co uld read it. ' I "' aited a c ro s s the street, in a little news s tand, nntil he came out, and I shadowed him to the city hall. Jn th e b elie f that his steps would be directed t o the city prison, I took a cut off to tbe pl ace by way -of Merchant stree t, and w a s behind the door in Captl'lin Lindheimer 's office, and concealed from o b servation when he appeared and asked t o see the prisoner, Batson. "Captain Lindheimer, who bad been hurriedly poste d by me as_to the situation, courteou s l y complied with the arch-villain's req ue s t, and' conducted him to the cell where Batson was playing checkers with his n ose "As s oon as Captan Lindheimer had locke d D ellman in he gave me the oppor-, tunity I wan t ed of overhearing the conver sation between the two men, b y putting me into the cell adjoining, which is provided with excellent eavesdropping facilities. "The fir s t qnestion asked by De11man was in r efernce to the letter signed 'Jarr.es Batson.' "'Did you write that?' he said. "Flat-Nos e looked at it in amaze. ment. N o t by a jugful, I didn't,' he answered. 'Who in blazes has been forgin' my hand-write?' 'I know the rooster,' s aid Dell man, empha t ic a ll y 'He's Nick Carter, the shrewd est and mos t dange rous detective on the American Condnent.' 'The deuce you say!' and you ought to have seen Batson's expres s ion when he spok e H e was as white a s a sheet, and he l o oke d a s scared as if he bad seen a ghost. M y God!' he went on. 'Then I'm I

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12 NICK CARTER WEEl(LY. done for. If Nick Carter is in San Fran cisco, my arrest lies at his door, and my conviction will be certain. But how do you know that it is Carter?' 'How do I know? Never mind how I obtain my information. But all the same, the man who put you in quod is Nick Carter.' "Batson dropped his eyes to the floor, and did pot say anything for some time. "Every now and then, however, he would sigh deeply. ''At last he looked up and regarded Dellman queerly. 'Yon wouldn't have come to see me,' he said, 'if you hadn't a point to make. What is it?' 'I want to help you, at the same time, help myself.' 'Help me! Can yon do it?' "He clasped his hands, the big duffer, and looked entreatingly at the cold,' cal villain before him. 'I can help you,l think. Let me ask one qnestion first. If Nick Carter were out of the way, would you have any chance of e scaping conviction on the charge for which you have been ar rested?' '' 'Every chance in the world. The case was put into Nick's hands by the Denver chief of police. The detective has never reported what he has found out about the case. I know that, for I have a pal in Colorado who is in a position to keep me well posted. I know further that Nick has got me dead to rights, and that he will pull the string that will let me down into the mire, when he gets me be fore the Denver court.' 'Good. l'Illay Nick Carter out before midnight.' 'You will? But how?' 'Never mind how. Leave that busi ness to me. Now, for your assistance. Do you kno'" of any one in San Francisco who can be trusted to perform the work for which I engaged your services?' 'Yes. There's one man, he's a jim dandy-the finest fakir on the coast. H e has strength, nerve, and audacity, and can be depended on to work any kind of a snap, from cracking a crib to slitting a weaz::md, as long as there's money in it. 'Where can I find this paragon of criminals?' 'On the police force.' 'What!' 'On the police force, I tell you.' 'Come now, Batson, I want no jest mg. Tllis is a serious matter, serious for you a :1d serious for me.' 'I'm not jesting. Boston Sa in is o n the force, but only fOT this week. H e s a sub, and got in through political influ ence.' 'Does Chief Crowley know his char
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I NICK CARTER WEEKLY. 13 tion of my alleged quarry, and offered well enough. I had faked blood with red Boston Sam twenty dollars if he would paint, an I had hit my boot, in lieu of go over t u Saucelito by the n e xt boat and your head, with my club until my toes make the arr est for me. and instep ache even now; but I might "He jum ped at tl1e offer l i ke a pike for have slipped up on the most important a young sucker, find when I p arted with pa.rt of the programme, if I had not spied l1im at the cable car which was to take a big black cat behind the boxes just as him to the water front, it was half-past Dellman was going out to get me the five. drink of whisky. "1 had then just thirty minut e s in "Tha t cat had never done me any whi c h to do a change and get t o the city harm, but it had to be sacrific e d all the h a ll. To prove that I lwve pro fited by same, and the smell of raw warm flesh yom i nstru ctions, I will say t hat at six which gre e ted the villain's nostrils had o 'clock p reciselv, I "'as in Captai n Lindsomething feline but nothing human in its hei mer' s office and reatly to go on duty nature." f o r the night as Boston Sam." Chick's story was told. Chi ck, yon're a brick," sa id Nick And the telling not only demonstrat e d with enthu siasm. the youn g d et e cti ve's courage and a stute" Don't mention it. As I w a s o n 11. y ness, but it al s o proved that Albert D e ll wa y down Merchant street towar d .1\lontman was a foe worthy of the great detec go mery, I met Dell man. He a ccos t e d me tive's skill. as Boston Sam, gave llle a not e from Nick had never counted on the possi Flat-Nosed Batson, and ipvit e d me into a bility of the villain either penetrat1ng his saloon to have a chat. disguise, or discovering his presence in T hat sort of business wouldn't do at San Francisco. a ll, you know, and so I in f orme d him. "That fellow must know me, that's He t hensuggested thatweslipinto a hallcertain," mu s ed the detective, "and yet wa y [on Commercial street a nd do our to save my life, I can't place him. Who t a l king. I consente d t o this and was can he really be, I wonder? soon put into possessi o n o f th e d etails of "Chick," said he, after a period of sethe fiendish plot that had heeu concocted rious refle ction, "you mnst play Boston aga i nst yon. "I knew ) o u would recogSam for me one more day. You must n ize me when I stopped a t the Sacra-keep that Oakland appointment." m euto street corner, and that you would Further plans were discussed before t ake a qnick tumble t o the little racket I h ad entered upon. "You acted with consummate ingenuity an d skill, Chick,'' said the great detec ti ve, approving l y "I couldn't have done be t ter myself ' This \vas ore a t praise but the faithful <> assis t ant full y deserved it. There was one thing, as yon know, tha t bothered me, and that was, how to m ake Dell ma n believe that you had really been. cast into t h e hole to constitute a din ner f o r the rats. I had carried out the other p or tions of my scheme of deception bedtime came. Nick, in a new disguise, that of a smart app earing book canvasser, w a s a passenger on the first boat for Oakland which left the Market street slip the next morning. DeJlman was to _meet the bogus Boston Sam at nine o'clock, and Nick wanted to transact a little business in the city of oaks before giving his special attention to the master villain. It was not yet eight o'clock, when he knocked at the door of a neat cottage on

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14 NICK CARTER WEEKL"!. Broadway, a few blocks from the old post-office corner. The dom was opened by a pert maid in a white apron, and with her sleeves rolled up. "\Ve don't want any books," she said; brusquely, and would have shut the door in his face, bad not Nick uttered the one word: "Rondelle !" The girl turned pale, glanced quick]y over her shoulder, and then faltered out an invitation to come in. "Can I speak with yon on the quiet?" said Nick, in a low voice. "Yes." She led the way into the front parlor. Her hand trembled as she opened the door for him to enter. Nick;s face wore a smile of satisfaction. He knew the girl having formed her acquaintance son:ie years before when she was serving as maid for Rondelle, the notorious confidence operator, who after ward came to grief in Sacrame1ito. To find her in service at the Vane House, where Mrs. Astorel and her daughter were temporarily residing was a suspicious circumstance, and before pro ceeding with the business that had brought him to the house, the great de tective resolved to subject her to a little judicious catechism. "Now, Miss Serena Dare," he said, sternly, when he had seated himself in a comfortable arm-chair, ''it will be good policy on your part to answer truthfullv / such questions as I may put to you touch-ing your position in this house, and the motive that bronght you to it." "Who are you?" she hoarsely de manded, after a vain attempt to discover his identity. ''Did ybu ever hear of Chief Rogers of Sacramento?" ''Yes.'' She shivered as she uttered t11e word. "Now, it does not in the least matter who 1 am," Nick went on with grim composure, "so long as 1 am in Chief Rogers' confidence, and know that for the last six months a warrant has been out for the arrest of a certain pretty pane l thief, who was known last year in New York as 'Pretty Jane,' bnt who was chr1stened Serena Dare when she was an innocent babe, some twenty-six years ago." The girl's face flushed at this correct sta t ern en t of her age. She did not look more than sweet six teen. '
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NICK CAR 'lER WEEKLY. 15 "Can't see for the dust Ill the room. Haven't swept yet. '1 "That ought to be a n easy job for you.' "Why?" "Yon have such a sweep ing manner." Nick. gave utterance to a low chuckle. Then he glanced at his watch. N o tim e for chaffing He. must get down at once to bed rock busi ness. The girl was turning her back on him, whe n he said abruptly and with more st ernness thnn he had hi therto assumed: Sit down and answer Your fat e is in my hands. to obey me, I' 11 have you Sacr amento job in less hour." m y questions. If you refuse in j ail for that t han half an Miss Dare began to trembl e again. She sat down and faced him. "Will ) ou promise not to use your knowledg e against me if I answe r your questions to the best of my a b ility?'' ((I will not only make t hat promise,' but I will give vou the furth e r assurance that you shall be prose cuted for the crime." "Ah !"with a sigh of i n t e n s e relief, "then I am satisfied. Go ahead with your questions.'' Nick had been quite easy in his mind whe n he made the prowise H e neither run any r i s k in doing so, nor did he put an} one r o u s task upon his shoulders. T he man upon whom th e panel game had been played had died the week before in Spokane Nick had learned t h e fact b e f ore he had left San Francisco. It was evident from Miss Dare's Jack of k n owledge on t be point that she was n o t a very close reader of the daily papers. Th e examination beoa n in this wise: "' "How long have you been in service h ere?'' "S' rnce yesterday." ''Who engaged you?'' "Mrs. Vane.'' an advertisement?" "No." "At an employment office?" "No." "How, then?'' "I made a personal application for the place.'' "How did you know there was a va-cancy?'' "I did not know." "Then some one must have sent you here? ' "Some one did." "What is some one1s name?" "A gentleman I used to know in Sacra mento.'' "Don't :::Jose up like an oyster at the most important point, Serena. A gentle man from Sacramento is very indefinite. I do not doubt but that there are severa l gentlemen in Sacramento, and it m a y be -it's a bare possibility, Serena-that your friend from the capital city may not be a gentleman in the proper sense of the term. I'll write to Chief Rodgers for a list of all the gentlemen in his bailiwick. If bis name appears thereon, I'll call at the jail, Serena, and Jet you pick it out.'' Her e y es snapped savagely, but she made no answer. "Out with the name, Serena, or--" "His name is Albert Dellman "I thought so." "What do you know against him? Nothing, for he is one of the most respected and popular residents of San Francisco.'' "Is he? Then he doesn't live in Sacramento now?" "He never lived there. I met him while he was up on a visit." "Of pleasure?'' "Pleasure and business." "Strange that snch a r e putable gentle man should have become the fri eud of a panel-but, no, Serena, I'll not refer to / I 1

NIUK WE.EKLY 17 look u pon me qS the enemy whose evil machinations against yonr father induced his hu rried flight to Honolulu. A de cent regard for my honor, my reputation hithert o un assai led, demands that I sbonld at once offe r such proof as must convince yon that the rumor is as base Jess as it is malicious and cowardlv. "As an act of justice to you permit me to call upon you as soon as possible? An immediate answer is earn estly reque s t e d. ":VIost respectfully yonrs, Albert Dell man." "A very cunning effusion," said Nick, when he had finished reading the letter "but luckily no one will be deceived by it." "Thanks to you, Mr. Carter.'' "He knows very well that his name has not yet been pnblicly connected with your father's departure," the detective went on, ''and he also knows, or has ever y reason to know, that Mr. Astorel made no secret to his family of the knowl edge h e had gained relating to the villian who had robbed him. "TherEfore, Miss Astorel, the point he aims to make is to clear his skirts with you. What his object can be, I leave for yon to judge." Ni ck gave her a look whose meaning she was quick to interpret. "I have met the man but once," she said, ''and he has never pretended to be an admirer." "Perhaps he admires your fortune." "Perhaps he does, but his admiration shall not profit him any." "Y I would advise you to answer the letter, and grant his request:" "V ery well, Mr. Carter." "You might make tht! appointment for to-morrow evening, if convenient." "Yes, that wi11 snit." "If you should meet him anywhere to day do not speak to him." "I do not think there is any likelihood of my meeting him to-day." "Are you 1:ot going to the Warner Mil-ler reception ? "Yes." "With your mother?" ''Yes.'' "Then if you do not see Albert Dell man there, he will have his eyes on you beyond the shadow of a doubt. Aud I wi11 not be surpri:;ed if your humble servnnt comes in for a large share of the villain's attention." "At the reception?" "Yes, for I shall be there in the guise of your respected uncle, whose existence, by the way, you never dreamed of until you read the personal in the Bulletin.'' After promising to see her again, Nick hurried off to a cheap lodging-bouse down the street, into which he quickly disappeared. Ten minutes later, just as the clock in the little office struck nine, there ernerged from the establishment a stout, well dressed gentleman with a snowy white hair and beard, and a noble bearing. He walked with an erect figure and a military tread, using his heavy, gold mounted cane, not as an ornament, but as a necessary aid to locomotion. The reception was to be held at the court-house, and in the forenoon, for the reason that the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce had arranged to honor the gentleman from New York in the after noon. Mr. Miller had come to California as the representative of the Nicaragua Canal Company, and as the enterprise was one in which the business men of the State were vitally interested, he had been everywhere received in the most cordial manner. The Oakland reception had been ar ranged under the auspices of the Board of Trade, and was not limited to gentlemen, because there were ladies in Mr. Miller's party whose claims to the courteous con-

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NICK CAR'l'ER WEEKLY. sideration of the Californians could nut consistently be overlooked. The ladies of Oakland had appropriated the judges' chambers adjoinining the large court-room as a con1mittee-room. Here, a short time before the opening of the proceedings, sat Hester Astorel and her mother; the latter a handsome, middle-aged lady, with a plump figure and a comely and intelligent countenance. Her manner was serious and expectant, and she kept her eyes fixed upon the doorway. The entrance of the old gentleman with the gold-mounted cane caused her features to brighten with pleasure and satisfaction. "My dear niece," spoke the new-comer, as he came forward and took her two hands in his ancl softly pressed them, "I am pleased to meet you under these happy circumstances. I saw your husband in the East and counted on meeting him here to-day. But business is business and he had to sail for the islands." "He went for his health," said Mrs. Astorel, with a smile, which the newcomer "He had met with .some reverses, and his health had given away under them." ''Pardon me, then, for having aJJuded to the present circumstances as happy ones. I am deeply grieved to find that they are tinged with sadness, "What can't be cured must be endured, eh ?" The ladies started at the voice, which came from the doorway, and looking up saw a policeman of the 'flash" order standing there with a grin upon his face. "Excuse me for interrupting you," he said, still grinning, "'but I'ru nsed ter sorrer, and know it ain't er biter use cryin' over spilt milk. See?" N1ck Carter, ali;Js Col. Bently Henderson, Mrs. Astorel's uncle, now spoke up: ''Look here, my man,'' he said, pompously, ''you may not know with whom I you are taking liberties. Another insulting word from your coarse lips and old as I am, I will arise and throw you into the street, and there dance upon your anatomy until yon cry for quarter." "Who are you, any bow, old skeez 'icks ?" "There is my card, sir." The policeman picked up the piece of 'pasteboard which Nic,k threw at him, glanced at it coolly, and then as coolly put itjn his vest-pocket. ''Colonel, I apologize. I did not know you were a Missourian. Ta-ta !" The policeman disppeared with a br
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NICK CARTER W E EKLY 19 these pompous military cusses ar e made They lik e flattery and they think they k now it all, whereas they are the easies t people in the world to hoodw i nk." "All right. I'll do as you say." "After you've got l1im interes t ed, play the gold-brick racket on him. H e'll t ake in all you say as gospel truth, or else I' 111 m istaken in my man." "Where shall I locate the brick?" "In th e hills, a few miles fro m town, o n the Martinez road. Tell him it' s not far from Joaquin Miller'smonntain home, a n d that he can make a caU o n the poet while h e is up there." uwell, what next?" "Tell him if he wants to -see t h e brick, h e must go out with you this afternoo n, orrightafter the reception. That won't take long, for l\Iiller is in a hurry to g e t to San Francisco, and you can probably sta r t by one o'clock." "What am I to do wheu I ge t him in the hills?" Nothing. Just get him out of town, a n d leave the rest to me." The pseudo Boston Sam pretended to be sat isfied with the programme, and at once p r o ceeded to carry out his part o f it. Of cour se he had no d iffic ulty in persuading th e false Col. Hende rson to take a r ide with him after lunch. Nic k was not a bit surp ri se d when C hick related his conversa tion with Alb ert Dellman. "Just what I expected, w h a t I w anted Jn fact," he said. ''I assume d the role o f the millionaire uncle in o r de r to court an abduction, and abducted I a m going to be. "Albert Dellman is in u rgent need of fif t y thousand dollars, and a s I hav e spoiled his plan to make it o ut of Marcus Astorel by sending the broke r t o H o no l u lu, he will snap at the first chance that offers itself to obtain t he m o n e y by robbing somebodv else. "After you-finis h y our business in the hill s Chick, you must drive back to town and rema in there, k ee ping a close watch over the Vane residence, until I arrive." "Trus t me for that." "I do trust you, Chick. By the way wha t makes you fidget about so? Is it pur e n ervousness from overwork, lack o f sleep, or what?" "I fee l out of sorts, why, I don't know. Perhap s there is too much electricity in the a ir .'' And the brave. fellow tried to laugh off his n e rvous feeling, and partially succeeded. Th eir talk was interrupted b y the entran c e of a numbe r of ladies who announced that the execrises were about to beg in. Nic k did not remain to listen to the speeches, bt,t after a few words with Mrs. Astor e l and h e r daughter, went to the G.alend o Hofel and registered as Col. Hend e rson, of Missouri. While the great detective was away, Chick was talking business with De11man, in one of the small back rooms of a Sev enth str eet hotel. At on e o'clock in the afternoon the disguised detectives, playing the p at>ts of villain and dupe, respectively, left Oakland in a spanking rig-a span of fast-stepping nags, and a handsome phaeton. As th e y passed through the suburban hamlet of 'I'emescal they both caught a fleeting gli mpse of the face of a manwho was supposed to be at that moment either in Saucelito or San Francisco. It wa s tha t of the genuine Boston Sam, and he had been sitting a t an open window in the second story of a lar g e buildin()' ev i d ently a hotel or lodging-house, I:> when the t eam approached. He gave one glance at his counterpart, and th e n r ose hurriedly and took himself out o f sight. "Queer," muttered Nick, "very q n eer, indeed."

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NICK CARTER WEEKLY. "I don't understand it at a)l," re marked Chick. ''It's certain that he did not intend that we should see him.'' "Yes, for he dodged back out of sight the moment he clapped his eyes on me. What's up, do you think?'' ''Something that we had not counted on, Chick. Dellman has made a discov ery of the cheat you have been practicing on him." "Do you think, Nick, that he found out I was not Boston Sam before he sent me on this errand?" "No, he was a hoodwinked man up to the moment we left the morgue." ''But Boston Sam must have him, else he would not be over here 1n Temes cal, close to the foothills, and on the route mapped out for me by Dell man." "Undoubtedly., The horses by this time had gone a few. blocks past the building. "Chick, we must checkmate this game, if we can.'' "Of course.'' "I will go on with the team, while you had best get out and interview Mr. Bos ton Sam .Jt's a ticklish job I've laid out for you, my boy, but I'll trust you to car ry it through all right" "I' 11 do the best I can. Without further words, Nick's plucky assistant got out of the phaeton and walked b
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NICK CARTER WEEKLY. 21 you're his partner, that's why." "Am 1 ? And how did you arrive at that extraordinary conclusion?" "By talking with Flat-Nose d Batson and afterward with Albe rt Dellman. We put two and two together, and tumbled to the truth in no time. This morning I came over to Temescal at Dell man's order.'' "Why didn't you g o up into the hills with you r com panious in crime and have the settlement with the colonel and myself occur at one and the same moment?" Boston Sam grinned. as soon tell you as not," he said. "The boss thought the business might be managed b etter if the force s of both opposing parties were divided." "By which you mean that he expects to make as quick w ork of the colonel as you will make of me." "Precisely .'' 'l'he cool audacity of the ruffian "rat tled" Chick so mew hat. "\V el!, then," he said, sternly, as he rose to h is feet, and put his hand on his trusty revolver, ''suppose you start in now with your little circns. You have been hir ed t o lay me out. Proceed with the layin g ' Boston S a m stood up with a strange smile on his face H e m ade no attempt to draw a revolver. Nor w a s his attitude an aggressive one. For on e moment he looked at Chick, whose pi stol was out, and cocked, and then suddenly threw up his hands. On the instant something happened that Nick Carter's brave assistant had not calcul ated on. When he had entered the room he had unthinkingly taken the seat Boston Sam had indicated. It was directly under a sliding trapdoor in the ceiling, put in probably for purposes of ventilation. When he arose to his feet the door .;;lid back noiselessly aud the face of a man appeared at the aperture. The face belonged to Flat-Nosed Batson. One of his hands clasped the handle of a tailor's goose weighing a dozen 'pounds or more. His eyes, meanwhile, were fixed intently upon the person of Boston Sam. Whe n the latter raised his hands in air, Flat-Nosed Batson acted. Down wed the heavy iron in tl1e direction of the unsuspecting Chick's head. Only a miracle, it could m tervene to save his 1 i fe. Chick could never explain why he moved his position at that supremely critical moment. But he did move forward a step, involuntarily, and the goose, instead of crush ing his skull, just grazed his right elbow. Striking the young detective's "funny bone," it gave him such a queer sensa tion as of partial paralysis, that he relaxed his grasp on his revolver and it fell to the floor. He stooped quickly to pick it up, but before he could reach it, Boston Sam was upon him. A terrific struggle ensued. Boston Sam, as he rushed forward, essayed to throw his arms around the detective's neck. Without raising his head Chick antici-pated the movement. Before the ex-slugger's hands touched his would-be victim's shoulders, Chick had him about the waist. 'I'he next instant the assistant of the great Nick Carter gave a superb ex hi bi. tion of his m nscular strength. The burly body of Boston Sam rose quickly in the air, and as quickly shot backward and descended with crushing force against the plastered partition. Panting from the terrific effort he had put forth, Chick stood still for one mo-

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22 NICK CAR'fER WEEITLY. lllent and looked at the form of his par-features ind istinguishable by reason of tially stnnned adversary. blood and bruised flesh. Suddenly Boston Sam's h eavy should-Flat-Nosed Batson had not moved s i nce ers began to move. Chick had laid him out. Chic!{ gave a step forward with revol"'There," groaned the brave fellow, as ver clubbed, when a noise at the door at-he groped his way to the d oor, t hink tracte d his attention they're :fixed for a few moments long He turned his head and-on the instant enough for me to get down stairs t o the Flat-Nosed Batson entered the room. wash-room." With one bound, and regardless of the He reached the door, opened it, and weapon that confronted him, he was at passed into the corridor. Chick's side. He felt about the lock after h e had Dodging the blow anned at his head clo sed the door, found the key, t urned it, he raised his right hand which had been .and then taking the key out put it in his closed since his entrance, and threw some pocket. powdery substance in the gallant young At the top of the stairs he h esitated a cletective's face. momeot, for it seemed to be darker than It was red pepper, and partially filling usnal in Chick's eyes, nearly blinded him, at the Had lus eyes1ght grown dnumer, or had sa;ne time causing him the most excrucithe hall been darkened since his entrance ating pain. into the house? But he did not meekly fold his hands But he had no time for speculation. and give np the ship, t:10ugh his situa. He n:ust do something at once to re-tion was a most desperate one. heve h1s eyes. With a yell like that of a wild beast he With his hand on the b a l ustrade, he sprang upon Batson, beat him to the prepared to descend the stairs. floor, stamped qn him, then tumed as lJe He took one step, and nothing hapBoston Sam coming, and pened. that fighting expert with the ferocity of Two steps, and--a demon. His feet encountered space. Chick's blood was up. cry of terror involuntarily burstfrom He could scarcely see, and he was his lips as he went down, to strike with sufferi!lg from his injured eyes, a cruel crash among a heap o f broke n flnd yet he felt possessed of the strength boxes, old bottles, and dishe s, anrl to feel of a dozen men. his senses leaving him. Boston Sam had his knife out-a huae As he lay there under the s t airway Cl "' without sense or motion Boston Sam 11nese cleayer-but Chick cared no more for the weapon a tooth pick. than if it had been His onslaught was so furious that the villain could do no more tl1an give Chick a slight prick in the arm. came noi::;eles;:;ly out of the room above and stopping at the head of the stai r s listened intently for a moment. The smarting. sensation puncture of the flesh gave tective's ferocity. Satisfied that' the detectiv e had f a l len intJ the trap set for his b e n e fit in th e event of his escaping f ro m the cl utches caused by the f h f o 1s oes in the room, the e x slt12:2:er zest to the deb w ent ack for his comr a d e in crime. He pummeled Boston Sam until the ex slugger sank unconscious to .the floor with But Flat-Nosed Batson too sick t o move. He was a very sick man, indee d.

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NICK CARTER WEEKLY. After trying in vain to arouse him Bos ton Sam made up his mind to descend to his victi m alone. He foun d Chick still insensible, and dragged his body from under the stair way to a small room in the basement. After securing his ankles and wrists with stout cords he locked him in and departed. The roo m had no window, and was a verit able dark hole. An hour passed away before Chick came to hi s senses. His eyes no longer pained him, but because he could not penetrate the black darkn ess of the apartment he tllonght he had gon e blind. But he gave no serious thought to his own situation. One subject alone engrossed his mind, and as a dire possibility presented itself, the cold perspiration started to his fore head. "If Nick should fail, if he sh-onld be opposed by the whole force of the enemy and overcome or killed, a terrible thing might happen to l\liss Astorel, for it is not her money alone that the villain Dell man seeks. '' Gloomy, indeed, were the brave yoilng detective's thoughts as the homs went by in that dark and stifling house, and no relief cam e. CHAPTER VII. INVIRONED BY PERILS. Luc k had favored Albert Dellman in his villainous crusade. After he had parted with the false Bos ton Sam on the night of the Leidesdorff str eet adventure he had crone to his room ancl put on his thinking Matters during the evening had pro ceeded so smoothly that he began to stts pect that there miaht be a screw loose "" so mew here. Heretofore his operations had been con-ducted with such skill and shrewnness that the possibility of detection and con sequent punishment had been thoroughly guarded against. In fact, so well had he carried on his game of robbery that he had ha0 the un. blushing effrontery to tell Marcus Astorei to his face on the street that he, Dellman, was the man who had planned all the abductions ann had profited by them. "The cowardly miser," said the vil lain to himself, as his mind reverted to his bad performances of the past, "was afraid to put his case in the hands of the local detectives, for fear that I might tumble to the game and come down on him for it worse than ever. So he had to go to New York and dig up this man, Carter. A smart detective, none smarter in the United States, but I've been a match for him, all the same," he chuckled, "and, what's more, old Astorel can't put up any trick to catch me that I won't be able to get away with." Then as he thought of what had sli ppe!;l from his grasp by the sudden departure of the broker, his hands clinched in murderous anger, and he cursed the day that saw Nick Carter enter into the fight against him. After a weighty consideration of the situation, he determined to have another interview with Batson before he went to bed. Perhaps that worthy might either ease his mind or prove that he had really been duped. When he reached the city prison a paM-olman, who was temporarily in charge of the office, had just left l1is post to at tend to the ag call of one of the female prisoners. Dellman stood by the railing so that he could look upon the desk. An open note, probably but recently taken from the envelope which lay be side it, gave him a serious start, for he read the name at the bottom of it.

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2! NICK CARTER WEEKLY. The name was "Nick Carter." Watching his chance while the officer's back was turned, he snatched up the note and hastily read it. It was short and to the point. "On no account must you permit any one from the outside, no matter if he were the governor himself, to see or :alk with Batson until I call or send a written order.,, Dellman, after reading the note, glanced quickly down the passage, and to his unbounded relief saw that the officer was in the act of entering the cell where the woman who had called to him was confined. Realizing that moments were golden he whipped out his pocketbook, found a blank leaf, and with a pencil quickly copied the great detective's .signature. An expert at forgery, he made every stroke of his pencil tell. His work done, he put the book in his pocket, replaced the note on the desk, and walked noiselessly out. As he was passing by the quarters set a part for the newspaper reporters a thought struck him, and he glanced in. No one was there: Dellman, without .a moment's pause, walked into the room, which was lighted up, and sat down at a table, provided w=.th writing materials. He took out the pocketbook, tore out the leaf with the imitation of Nick Carter's signature, and placed it before him on the table.-Then he found a half sheet of foolscap and soon produced the following letter: ''It is necessary for the success of an important movement against an Eastern crook, lately arrived heref that James Batson should be released, temporarily, from confinement. I am unable to come to the prison in person. Mr. Dellman my friend, and with whom you are quainted, is empowered to take charge of Batson upon his release. Let Flat-Nose out on receipt of this, and oblige "Your friend, ''Nick C a rter." This he handed to the officer in charge of the prison. Having rea
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NIOK CARTER WEEKLY. ton Sam watched the city prison entrance, he piped o ff the fenyboats. Arrangements for the day's programme had been made with his two hirelings the night before. He w as therefore prepared to leave the city when he saw Nick Carter in the guise of a book canva sser step up to the ferryboat office and purcllase his ticket. D ell man's power of penetration was phenomenal. 1t w as well night imposs ible to deceive him wh en his senses were alert, and he was on a keen lookout for points. H e knew Nick C arter the moment he saw his face, and noted the peculiar poise of his finely shaped head, and thus knowing he set out to shadow him. Nick, as the reader knows, on arriving in Oakl an,i went immediately to the Vane residence on Broadway. Dellman, in saw him enter the hou se, and rightly inferred that Miss Serena Dare would be s ubJected to a searching oral examination. When Nick c ame out he was shadowed to the lvdging-lwuse where he became metamorphosed into Col. Bently Henderson, of Missouri. The archvillain saw his quarry enter the cour t -house, and then grinned like a fiend. He would llave the shrewd detective where h e wanted him before he left Oak land. It was with malevolent joy that Dell man playe d Chick against Nick, and saw thelll enter a livery stable for the purpose of hirin g a rig for the MMtinez hills. Befor e they started however the archvill ain h a d ooue on to the hills 0 In adva nce. H e stopped few minutes at Temescal, Wllere he had staked Boston Sam and Bat-son, gave them some further instructions, and th en rode on. H e was up on the first rise in the range when Nick Carter driving alone began the ascent. The great detective had changed his plan of procedure after parting with Chick. ln view of tlle momentous interests at stake it would be the height of rashness to risk an abduction while his faithful ally was absent and engaged upon an undertaking that might have a disastrous result. There-fore, instead of permitting himself to be abducted, according to the original programme, he intended to close in on Dellman and bring him l:>ack to Oak land a prisoner. The attempt at murder in the Leidesdorf street basement could easily be proven against the v -illain, and once in San Quentin, with a heavy sentence over him, his persecution of the Astorel family would cease. Nick felt sure that he would meet Dellman in the hi1ls from the fact that Boston Sam had been left behind at Temescal. In anticipation of an ambush the detective kept a wary lookout. He had nearly reached the summit when he smv a man sitting on a slllall culvert where the road made a bend. It was Albert Dellman. Nick drove up slowly, fearing no immediate trouble, because he still entertained the opinioq that the villain knew him only in his assumed character of the Missouri colonel. But when he came dose enough to catch Dellman 's eye l1e knew by its peculiar glitter that his identity was known. And with this knowledge came the startling sl1ggestion that his death and not his abduction -was desired. But he mnst keep up his role of colonel for the present, and not let the _villain suspect' he was aware that his identity had been discovered.

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... 26 NICK CAUTER WEEKLY. The horses were reined up at a sign froiJJ Dellman. "\Vhy," he exclaimed, in assumed as tonishment, as he looked into the phae ton, "I expected my partner. Why didn't he come?'' ''He had business in Temescal which detained him. But he will come out in an hour or so. Nick spoke in a matter-of-fact way, though he could hardly keep a straight face. A farce was being played by two excel lent comedians. But it might presently develop into a tragedy. "The brick, Col. Henderson," said Dell man, respectfully, "is 111 yonder cabin." He pointed to a small wooden shanty a few rods from the road at the openiing of a small ravine. "Bring it here. I 'll wait for you." "But it's buried." "Can't you dig it up?" "Yes, but it is very heavy, and if I brought it out here some one might come along the road and notice it." "What of it? It's yours, isn't it?" "Certainly it i s mine, but I bought it from a man who had stolen it from a miner." "Ah!" "But if you buy it-say at half priceyou can have it cut up, and dispose of 1t in sections without running any risks." ''I want to see the brick first. It may be bogus for a u ght I know." "It is my that you should see it. Hitch your team to a tree, and come to the cabin with me. It is unoccupied." "1 am a stranger. and you may 110t be an honest man," said Nick, bluntly. ''How do I knew that you do not inten d to rob me if you can?" ''I will prove to yon that I :un actina "' squarely," Dellman asserted, with feigned earnestness and sincer t y ''Here now. I'll Jay my revolver and knife down here on this rock,'' indicating a flat bowlder by the roadsiile. "You do the same with your weapous, and we'll enter tbe cabin uuarmed." "That's agreeable," said Nick who felt able physically to handle a quartette of Dellmaus. The arch-villain, when the team had been secured, walked toward the cabin, Nick following. There was one small window on the side. It was placed high up,and standing on tipfoe DelJman peered into the small room, and then motioned to the disguised detective to do the same. Nick, with one eye on the man of crime, used the other to take in the details of the apartment. It was unfurnished save for a loug shal low box in one corner. "The brick is buried under that box," said Dellman. "Come, let's go in." Nick, not without some misgivings, followed the villain into the room. But the moment the detective had taken a step across the threshold Dellman gave him a quick, powerful shove forward, and the next instant sprang out of the door, and closed it. But the door was made of common red wood boarns, and the detective felt no alarm, for he knew he could kick it down before his enemy could retnrn to the spot with the revolvers. He had made a step toward the door with the purpose of demolishing it, when a peculiar hissing sound, which was quickly succeeded by a ary, suggestive rattle, rattle, rattle, made him start vio lently and then uervously turn to face the terrible danger that now 11nexpectedly menaced him. What he saw drove the blood from his face. He was a bra\'e man, but the sight he beheld was one calculated to appall the stoutest heart From out the box in the corner there han crawled five large rattlesnakes. Of the most active ann venomous kind -the deadly diamond back-they were moving swiftly toward the man who had been caged in the shanty, 111 order that

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NICK CARTER WEEKLY. 27 he I.night fall a victim to their poisonous fangs. It would be courting death to try to es-cape by the door, for before he could hope to smash it in the reptiles would be upon him As for tl1e window, there was no way of reaching it in time to break through and escape. And yet he must do something; he must not stand stlll and accept the fearful fate which that villain of villains, D ellman, had meted out to him. One moment more-all the thoughts that bad passed through his brain had not occupied more than a few seconds-and the rattlers would be upon hi111. One-the largest-had coiled close to his feet, and Nick's fear-dilated eves stemed to pierce the veil which shrouded the future and to see hi111self a swollen, putrid cropse, and-wh e n suddenly the thonght came to him like inspiration, that all was not yet lost. He had been a traveler in India, where the deadly cobra luxuriates, aud he had been the companion and conficlant of some of th e noted fakirs and suake charmers of the Hindoo land. He could now make practical use of the curious know led ere he had crained from them. "' A low, sibilant whistle, made with closed teeth, arrested the motion of every r attler in the room. ';L'he one nearest, who was about to stnke drew back its head slowlv uncoiled it self, and slunk quietly'to cover of the box. The others followed until not a snake could be seen. s.till the low hissing sound was kept up' Untl] the detective had reached the ooor. He had his foot raised to break it down, when the thouaht of Dellman m ade him pause. The villain must suppose that his fiendIsh scheme had succeeded. Therefore he lowered his foot and list e ned with all his ears for any sounds of the enemy's return Soon a crackling of dry twigs outside ?nnounced that some one was approachJng. Nick began to groan faintly as the steps came nearer the door. The key turned, the door was thrown open, and then the detective made a rush and caught the oncomer by the throat. One swift glance told him that the man was not Dellman. He was angular, hook-nosed, and was dressed llke a hunter. But he had muscles like steel, and was as active as a cat, as the great detective soon discovered. The moment Nick's fingers clutched his throat, the man threw his long arms around his assailant's body, and gave him a hug like that of a grizzly bear. Though expecting every moment that hisribs would crack under the terrible pressnre to which tl.ey were being subjected, Nick gripped his ppponent about the windpipe with desperate force. His own breath was leaving him, and it did not seen1 possible for him to come out victorious in the struggle. But at the moment when his fingers were ready to relax, Nick's unknown adversary dropped his hands This acticn was follo'IVed by a tighter, more fearful pressure of the throat, for with the stoppage of the book -no sed 111 an's efforts, Nick's 1 ungs expanded, and new strength was infused into his muscles. Not even a second Samson could long withst and the choking that the detective's foe was receiving. His face became mottled, his eyes pro truded, until it seemed as if th ey would burst from their sockets, and his tou ane b lolled out bke that of a dog heatect frotll fierr.e exertion. At last his began to give way, and he became as hmp as a rag. At this of the proceedings, Nick suddenly withdrew his fingers from about the man's throat, and giving him a powerful shove made him measure his length on the ground. As he lay there, and while the detec ti,e was searching his person for weapons, there came that sharp suggestive rattle, which Nick had heard with a shudder of dread btlt a short time before. As he sprang to his feet, the rattler struck. But the fangs werenever meant to work harm to the great detective. They had sought a nearer, better defined mark, the neck of the prostrate, unconscious man

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28 NICK CARTER WEEKLY. Too late to arrest the dread catastrophe, Nick could onlv seize the reptile by the tail, and beat its head into a jelly against the corner of the cabin. A look about him, when he had fin ished this sal'agely pleasurable operation, showed him that the other rattlers-four in number-had taken advantage of the open door to escape from the cabin, and that they were now making off rapidly for cover among the rocks and brush a few rods away. A glance at the rattlesnake's victim showed that human aiq would be ustless. Struck in one of the most vulnerJble portions of the body, full in the jugular vein, already the dark shadow of death had overspread the man's face. \Vith a grave countenance, Nick dragged the body into the cabin, and closed and locked the door. He was deeply shocked and grieved at the occurrence. But his grief would have been tempered somewhat had he known what he afterward discovered, that the dead man was an ex-convict, a notorious law-breaker, had been concerned in more than one murder, and that as Albert Dell man's tool he assisted in the abduction of the various members of the Asto :JO.el familv. In anticipation of the return of the arch-villain, Nick concealed himself in a clump of chemisal near the cabin and waited. He was no longer unarmed, for upon the person of the rattlesnake's victim he had found two revolvers and a large hunting-knife. Ten minntes elapsed and Dellman appeared in sight. In his right hand'was a cocked revolver. When within about ten paces of the cabin rloor, he stopped and listened for some sonnd from witl1in. A faint moaning noise greeted his ears as he b\"nt his head fonvard. Satisfied that his foul scheme had suc ceeded, Dellman walked rapidly up to the door. He was about to turn the key when prudence suggested that he first take a look in at the window. As he stood on tiptoe peering iu through one of the panes, his back was toward Nick, who was not more than ten feet away. Now was the great detective's opportunity. With the quickness of a panther he leaped forward and struck Dellman a powerful blow behind the ear. The villain went down with snch force that his head struck the ground wit h a resounding thud, while his pistol wen t flying out of his baud, and exploded in the brush. Before he recoveted his senses Nic k was astride of his body, and busil y employed in securing his wrists and ankles with cords which he had provided self with before starting on his journey. "There," he said to himself, as he prepared to rise to his feet, his work finished, "that job is settled, and it is a good job, too.'' A rustling sound behind him made him turn with_ a start, but too late to save himself. He bad time only to see the evil face of Boston Sam, anil then a heavy club descended on his head and conscwusness left him. CHAPTER VIII. NICK COMES OUT AHEAD. It was close upo n sundown when Nick Carter opened his eyes and realized his condition. He was lying in the cabin, bounc'l hand and foot, and within a few feet of the body of the man who had died from the bite of the rattlesnake. His enemies h 'a d departed-perhaps gone to Oakland, or-he shivered, and grew pale at the thought-they had gone down the canyon to find more snakes toreplace the ones which had escaped. He did not try to account for the pre sence of the poisonous reptiles in the cabin when he had first e11tered it, for his tlJoughts were directed into sterner grooves. The dead man could have furnished the explanation, for the snakes had been his property, and had been captured for shipment to the Smithsonian Institute. Nick's head ached from the terrible blow he. had received, ancl when his mi 11 d reverted to his u n accomplished work, the pain was intensified.

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NICK CARTER WEEKT,Y. 2!1 It beca me mental as well as physical. The preseuce of Bosto n Sam in the hills-who shonld lune bee n safe in the care of Chick had matters go ne right m eant that some accident had happened to his faithfnl assistant. Perh aps Chick had been taken by surprise, as he, Nick, had been, and was even now a prisoner, or worse still, dead in Tem escal Th e thonght of such a dire misfortune was an agoniziug one to t!1e great detective, for he believed if neither he nor Chick appeared in Oakl and the next day, that some vile plot against 1\tiss Astorel wonlrl be snccessfnlly carried out. The great detective sl1Ut his eyes and groaned. At the same moment, in Temescal, Chick, a prisoner also, was following his chief!s exam pie. Could 1t be possible, thougl1t Nick, that th e cause of the wicked would be allowed to triumph. Had his luck at last deserted him? H e wonld not helieve it, and he tugged and str ained at his bonds until the blood streamed fro 111 the torn flesh, but to no purpose. The cord had been put on to stay. H e rolled o-.;-er and over o n the floor in the nervonsness of acute despa ir. Surldenly he found himself in front of the box which had been the nest of the ratt lesnakes, and gazing at it as if fascin ated. S oon he began to tremble, not from fear, bnt from the suaaestion of a blissful possibilitv. "'"' Th e had a sheet-iron band, and this b a11d ha1 been broken near the bot tom, at one corner l eav ing it jagged and sticking out. Nick propelled himself by means of his knees and elbows until be reached the box Another instant a11d with the jagged sheet -ir on band he'wassawingaway at the cords abont his wrists. Five minutes sufficed to do the work and place him on his feet a free man once tnore. Free! No, not entirely free, if action Were to be considered. He would not be free until he had .Passed the door and reached the open air. He was mov111g toward the door 1 I 1 w11en le leard the key softly turn in the lock. The enemy had returned. Nick was unarmed, but he minded not this disadvantage. In Ills present state of mind he felt able to cope with an army. But though the door was unlocked no one entered. Nick wondered greatly at this circum. stance. And all was so s1lent without. What could it mean? While he stood still, debating what he should do, a woman's shriek burst upon his ears. It was succeeded by a man's brutal imprecation. As Nick threw the door open and rushed out the shriek wasrepeated. lt came from the lips of a lovely woman not ten yards away. It was Hester Astorel, and she was struggling in the arms of Boston Sam. Nick was at the scene in two bounds, and it was not one blow that he gave the ex-slugger, but two, three, four-upon head, face, and neck. The assauit resulted in a complete knockout. Boston Sam sought rnofher earth with a sprawl that was far from elegant, while Hester sobbed her thanks on the great de tective's manly shoulder. CHAPTER .IX. VICTORY FOR TEE RIGHT. Boston Sam was handcuffed and lashed to a tree pending arrangements for his removal to the Oakland jail. He was thoroughly cowed, and now knew that the game was up as far as he was con cern ed. He told Nick that he had left Chick at Temescal in charge of Flat-Nosed Batson, who though not strong enough to travel, bad yet enough physical ability and mental left in him to guard a bound prisoner. Dellman, he said, had started for Oak land immediately after Nick had been overcome and placed in the cabi n. "How did he go? With the team, or on horseback, as he came?''

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:lO NICK CAR'rER WE KLY. "On horseback." "And the livery rig-where is it?" ''Back in the road, where you hitched it. ) "Good," said Nick, and with restored confidence he fairly beamed on the pale faced young lady at his side. "I saw Mr. Dellman in Oakland before I came out," she said, "and I also over. heard a conversation he had with Serena Dare, Mrs. Vane's maid-of-ail-work." The dete_ctive showed the greatest interest at th 1s statement. "He came to Mrs. Vane's, thinking I was out,'' she went on. ''I did go out to make some purchases, bn t after traversing a few blocks found that I had forgot ten my purse. "As I was returning to get it I saw Mr. Dellman enter the front o-ate. "' I Snspectlng that no good was meant by this call, I waited until the lllaid had admitted him, and then secretly entered the house by the back way. "Serena showed.him into the parlor, and as my and my aunt had gone out to a ne1ghbor's, the two, thinking they were alone in the house, spoke in ordtnary tones, so that I could easily hear that was said from my station 111 the ha11. -"The maid told him of your visit early in the morning, and of other matters which it is not necessary now to speak of and in return he informed her of what occurred in the hills and at Temescal. "When the villain announced that your fate was sealed, and that the manner of death had been left with Boston Sam, I waited to hear no more, but hurriedly left the house, procured a saddle horse at a livery stable, and galloped swiftly to your assistance." "Why didn't yon bring an officer with you?'' asked Nick, as he gazed at her with respectful admi)ii!tion. "I went to the police office, but all the officer.s were out. I did not even tell the was wanterl, I was so greatly ex.cJted. Mmutes were precious to my mmd, for at any moment this Boston Sam might take a notion to carry out his fiendish employer's order.'' "It was well that yon acted so prompt ly," Nick feelingly said, "for Boston Sam was at the door of the cabin whe n yon came in sight of it." "I know, and when I saw him I ran forward with all my might.'' "\N ere yon armed?" "1 had this," said Hester, with a slight blush. She helil out a pair of scissors. Nick could not repress a slllile. "I could find nothing el
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NICK'CARTER WEEKLY. 31 Acti ng upon information furnished by the ex-slu gger, ick and Chick went to a saloon on one of the main s treets where gamb ling was surreptitiously carried on in a b ack room every night. Given the "open sesame" by Boston Sam the two detectives had no difficulty in obt aining an en trance. 'J'he back room door was wide open, and the players at the long oval tablethe game faro-were in full view from th e bar-room. Albert D ellman sat facing the door, but his eyes were glued 11pon a stack of ch ips staked npon a card in front of him. Nick and Chick got out of his line of v ision, and calling the bar-keepe r aside h ad a few earnest words wi'h him. He was not a bad sort of fellow, and k ept what was known as a "respectable joint." No thugs, hoodlums, or tin-horn play ers were allowed to participate in the games. When Del1man's real character made known to him he promise d h earty co-operation in the detectiYe schem e to place him under arrest. As he sauntere
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----3 2 NICK CARTER WEEKLY. tendered t hem had they remamed a day longer in the city of oaks. But bt1siness had called them away be fore the gaming-house tragedy was a day old. They carried with them the heartfelt gratitude of the Astorel family and some thing very substantial in the ,-.,ay of are ward, which received an addition when Marcus Astorel returned from Hono lulu. Boston Sam, bv reason of his confess ion, got off with a lig-ht sentence for share in the series of abductions. Flat-Nosed Batson was taken to Den ver, and tried on the old charge of bmg lary, and being found gn i lty was sen t enced to imprisonment for twenty years. ['I'HE END.] The next nu mber of the Nick Carter Weekly will contain "The Gold Wizard; or ; Nick Carter's Clever Protege," by the author of "Nick C a rter." AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY. Many people imagine that a photographer's ca.roera is a difficult machiPe to luwctle aud that the work is dirty and disagreeable. AU this :H a mi:-;tu.ke. PhoLograpily .is a clean, light, u .nd plt>a-.;aut ac coutpllshntent, within the reach of all. The canH!'ra will prove a triend, reporter, nmJ helper. With a very ine.YpenRive camera any boy or g-iiI C'H.II now learn not only to take picturPS, hut pictures that there is 8\'CI'ywhere a. denand"for at reJHllllem.tive prices. A COin!llete gtlide lO tltis fH.SCittating art, Plttitled AMATI..:Uit ltlANUAL OF .PHO'l'OOl
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